2.2b afs investment opportunity in agriculture sector: MAIL

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) on Monday announced a 100 percent increase in its revenue last year, but said 13 projects could not be implemented due to coronavirus outbreak.

MAIL made the revelation as part of the government’s accountability program which was created 14 years ago under former president, Hamid Karzai.

Agriculture minister Anwarul Haq Ahaddi today presented the ministry’s last year performance report to the program during a press conference.

He said his ministry had planned 43 different projects for 1399 fiscal year (last year), but only 30 of them were implemented and the rest delayed due to coronavirus outbreak.

Retaining walls, green houses, milk processing factories, wheat storages, irrigation networks and creation of fish farms were among projects planned for Nangarhar, Jawzjan, Herat, Balkh, Baghlan and Bamyan provinces, he said.

However, he said the mentioned projects could not be executed due to coronavirus spread, lack of budget and some other issues last year. These projects would be implemented in the ongoing 1400 fiscal year, he added.

Ahadi said that 30 different projects had been completed in 15 provinces of the country last year that benefited thousands of farmers and gardeners.

About revenue hike, he said that the ministry collected more than 420 billion afghanis in revenue last year — double the amount of previous year. The revenue collected in year 1398 was 210 million afghanis, he said.

Ahadi said 5.7 percent increase in wheat production, 15 to 20 percent increase in fruits and vegetables, 15 percent increase in rice production and higher productions of saffron, chicken meat and fish meat contributed to the hike in revenue.

Agriculture officials say there is the opportunity of 2.2 billion afghanis investment in different areas of agriculture in the country in ongoing 1400 fiscal year.

Agriculture minister said the livestock development was paid little attention last year but he would try to encourage donors for funding the livestock improvement this year.

Mds/ma

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